Notice

06/21/2024 05:18 PM

Notice to Mariners

Champlain Canal – Waterford to Stillwater

June 21, 2024

 

The Canal Corporation today announced the following operational changes effective Monday, June 24, 2024:

 

Lock C-1 (Waterford), Lock C-2 (Halfmoon), Lock C-3 (Mechanicville), and Lock C-4 (Stillwater) will pass recreational vessels three times daily.  Lock C-1 will pass northbound traffic and Lock C-4 will pass southbound traffic daily at 8:00 am, 10:00 am, and 2:00 pm. Locks C-2 and C-3 will pass traffic when the vessels arrive from Locks C-1 or C-4. 

 

Additionally, these locks will operate on a "double draining" procedure.  Each lock will be maintained in a full condition and emptied twice during locking operations.  For northbound traffic, the locks will be drained twice before traffic enters the lock chamber.  For southbound traffic, the lock will be emptied and refilled once before the vessels are admitted into the lock for southbound passage.  The second draining will occur with the vessels in the lock.

 

Vessels will not be permitted to moor overnight at the Lock C-1 (Waterford) and Lock C-4 (Stillwater) approach walls.

 

The operational changes at these locks are being implemented as the result of a positive eDNA detection for round goby, an aquatic invasive species, above Lock C-2 (Halfmoon). The adjustments are in accordance with the Canal Corporation and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) joint Rapid Response Plan enacted in 2022 to mitigate the spread of the round goby.

 

The Canal Corporation and DEC will provide updates as they confirm this detection through additional sampling.

 

The Canal Corporation appreciates the patience of mariners and local stakeholders and encourages everyone to learn how they can help mitigate the spread of aquatic invasive species here.

 

The Canal Corporation urges all users and stakeholders to register to receive updates through the Notice to Mariners notification program by clicking here.

 

For general news, please visit www.canals.ny.gov or follow the Canal Corporation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

 

To report an issue or incident along the Canal system, please call the Canal Corporation’s Emergency Call Center at 833-538-1042.